Garment hanger linkage



July 1956 H. R. BERLT 2,753,143

GARMENT HANGER LINKAGE Filed July 16, 1953 WVENTOR.

flag/31 i. Ber BY I Unite This invention relates to a device forinterconnecting a plurality of garment hangers and more particularlyrelates to a linkage for interconnecting a plurality of garment supportsof the conventional coat hanger form.

It is an object of this invention to provide means for combining byinterlinkage a plurality of garment hangers in such a manner as willenable them to each be of complete utility in their roll as clotheshangers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means forinterconnecting two or more garment hangers which means is inexpensiveand easily fabricated.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a means forlinking two or more garment hangers in a rigid but detachablerelationship.

These and other objects are achieved by my invention wherein a sheetmaterial is formed having the shape of a bib in such a manner that thecollar portion overhangs the shoulders of one garment hanger to surroundthe hook shank thereof. From this collar portion depends a planar apronportion having one or more pair of horizontally aligned raised bandsadapted to receive and retain both sides of the hook portion of anothergarment hanger.

Further understanding of the invention can be had from an explanationmade by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of the bib-shaped linkage which is shownmounted on one garment hanger and depending therefrom to support asecond garment hanger.

Figure 2 is a rear view of the device mounted to link top and bottomgarment hangers as in Figure 1 which portrays the collar portionsurrounding the hanger hook shank to overhang the shoulder portions ofthe hook at points adjacent to the shank.

Figure 3 is a front view of the device specially emphasizing theposition of the dependent hanger supported by the lower apron portion.

Figure 4 is a top view in cross-section along line 4-4 in Figure 3 whichshows the raised bands or loops as extruded portions of the apronportion.

Figure 5 is a side view corresponding to Figure 3 which shows in partthe top supporting hanger, the linkage with shoulder portion overhangingthe supporting garment hanger, and the lower dependent hanger supportedby raised bands in the apron of the linkage.

Figure 6 represents a suitable derivation of the linkage which hasseparate flanged means or tabs constituting the collar portion of thelinkage.

With regard to Figure 1, the bib-shaped linkage 10 is shown supported bywire garment hanger 12 along the length of the shoulder portionsadjacent to the hook shank 14 of the hook 16. From the apron portion 18is supported a second hanger 2th by means of raised bands engaging theside portions of hook 24.

As pictured more clearly in Figure 2 showing a rear view of garmenthangers 12 and 20 as they are interconnected by linkage 10, the collarportion 26 overhangs the shoulder portion of garment hanger 12 tocompletely surround the hook shank 14 of hook 16.

tates l atent F 2,753,143 Patented July 3, 1956 ice Although widevariation is possible in the selection of suitable materials it will berecognized that for fabrication feasibility the most suitable substanceswill be those materials which can be readily bent without loss ofstrength to provide the overhanging collar necessary for support of thelinkage. In this respect, sheet metals of a flexible nature and of suchthickness as to permit bending without fracture will be very suitable.In the same way, the linkage can be made from fibrous materials,including paper, having suflicient strength to support common coathangers carrying articles of apparel. If the selection of materialsincludes less flexible materials such as pla tics or more rigid metals,the linkage would be molded with the necessary bend in the collarportion.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, by stamping certain portions of the body ofthe apron a pair of raised bands 22 is formed through which the hook 20of a garment hanger can be inserted to support said hook and hanger inspaced alignment with the supporting hanger 12. Such a stamping orequivalent extrusion of the body of the apron to form raised bandspermits the linkage to be fabricated from a single planar piece ofmetal, plastic, or fibrous material. Alternatively, it can be readilyappreciated that the raised bands 22 need not be an originally integralpart of the body of the apron 18 but can be separate bands subsequentlyattached by suitable means and methods to an imperforate apron so as toprovide with the body of the apron raised bands through which a hangerhook can pass.

The manner in which two hangers are supported in spatial relationship isbest demonstrated by reference to Figure 5 which shows from a side viewthe hook shank 14 and adjacent shoulder portion 28 supporting the collarportion 26 of linkage 10. On the lower portion of apron 18 are raisedbands 22 through which book 20 is passed and there supported. From thisside view it can be seen that an offset arrangement which is anadvantageous eifect in that it allows each hanger to carry its apparelwith minimum interference with apparel on another hanger.

Although only one pair of substantially horizontal raised bands or loopshas been pictured in the accompanying drawings it can be seen that ifthe loops are of such length as to permit some movement of a hangerwithin the loops it will be possible to have more than one pair of loopseither side by side or along the vertical dimension of the linkage. Thisadaptation to enable the linkage to support more than one dependentgarment hanger can be further facilitated by increasing the overall sizeof the linkage so as to permit greater spacing between pairs of loopsand attendant lessened interference between garment hangers supported inthose loops.

Figure 6 represents a modification of collar design in which theoverhanging portion of the collar is a flanged means consisting of twotabs 30 integrally related to apron 18 but independent of each other.Because such tabs are a natural modification of the invention it can beappreciated that the foregoing description is equally applicable to theconcept pictured here. Accordingly, for purposes of definition allreferences to a collar are not to be construed as meaning a continuousyoke only but also as referring to all similar flanged means as beingequally represented by the arrangement in Figure 6, for example.

In the same way, it can be readily appreciated that relative dimensionsare not restricted to those portrayed in the drawings but are readilyvaried to adapt the linkage for use with various wire hangers ofmodified design. Moreover, it is within the purview of this inventionthat the linkage be adaptable for use with wooden garment hangers orwith combination wood and wire hangers and the like. Such modificationsas they would particularly apply to forming of the overhanging collarare readily recognizable and accordingly no such limitations orrestrictions are to be placed on the invention except as described inthe appended claims,

I claim: 7

l. A link for detachably connecting a pair of garment hangers consistingof a sheet of material of generally bibshape, said sheet comprising acollar portion for overhanging the shoulders of a first garment hanger,said collar portion including spaced generally parallel parts of saidsheet and a top wall joining said parts, said top wall having anelongate opening therealong extending into said parts, said openingaccommodating passage therethrough of the hook and shank of the firsthanger, said parts accommodating passage therebetween of the shouljdersof the hanger and said top wall resting on said shoulders detachably tomount said sheet on the first hanger, one of said parts including adepending planar apron portion, said apron portion including a pair ofhorizontally spaced bands having ends continuous with said apron portionand mid-portions raised out of the plane of said apron portion, themid-portions of said bands projecting to the side of said apron portionopposite the other of said parts, said bands extending parallel to saidtop wall on opposite sides of the vertical centerline of said sheet anddefining a pair of spaced parallel vertical openings between said bandsand said apron portion to the outboard side of said apron portion, saidvertical openings accommodating insertion of the hook of a second hangerfirst through one band from the bottom thereof and then through theother band from the top thereof detachably to mount the second hanger onsaid sheet in downwardly spaced relation to the first hanger.

2. A link for detachably connecting a plurality of garment hangersconsisting of a sheet of material to assume a generally bib-shape whenassociated with a first hanger, said sheet comprising a collar portionand an apron portion, said collar portion including a pair of parts tobe disposed in spaced generally parallel relation to one another on thefirst hanger and a top wall joining said parts, said top wall having anopening therein accommodating passage of the hook and shank of the firsthanger, said parts receiving therebetween the shoulders of the hangerand said top wall resting on said shoulders detachably to mount saidsheet on the first hanger, said apron portion comprising a generallyplanar portion of said sheet depending from one of said parts, saidapron portion having a pair of bands on one side thereof, said bandshaving ends joined to said apron portion and mid-portions spaced fromthe plane of said apron portion, said bands extending generally parallelto said top wall in horizontally spaced relation to one another anddefining generally parallel Vertical openings between said bands andsaid apron portion to said one side of said apron portion, said verticalopenings accommodating insertion of the hook of a second hanger firstthrough one band from the bottom thereof and then through the other bandfrom the top thereof detachably to mount the second hanger on said sheetand the first hanger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,219,685 Wall Mar. 20, 1917 1,804,919 Dockett May 12, 1931 1,873,039Robinson Aug. 23, 1932 2,498,400 Dulude Feb. 21, 1950 2,557,537 EllisonJune 19, 1951 2,579,240 Masoner Dec. 18, 1951

